WhatsApp Business API Price in India 2026: Real Estate Costs
Last updated: 1 October 2026
The WhatsApp Business API price in India is charged per message, at rates Meta publishes. From 1 October 2026, Meta’s India rate card is Rs 0.8631 per marketing message and Rs 0.115 each for utility, authentication and service messages. GST at 18% applies on invoices from Facebook India. Service replies used to be free inside the 24-hour window. From 1 October 2026, Meta charges for them, with the first 1,000 service messages per business phone number free each month.
That last change matters for real estate, where many messages are replies to enquiries. This guide explains every charge, shows what a typical month costs for a dealer or builder, and lists what providers add on top.
WhatsApp Business API price in India: the official rate card
Meta charges per delivered message, based on the message category and the recipient’s country. Here are the India rates from Meta’s rate card effective 1 October 2026:
| Message type | Example in real estate | Rate per message (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | New launch announcement, Diwali offer, open-house invite | 0.8631 |
| Utility | Site-visit confirmation, payment receipt, document reminder | 0.115 |
| Authentication | One-time password for a buyer login | 0.115 |
| Service | Your free-form replies inside the 24-hour window | 0.115 (first 1,000 a month free per number) |
| Authentication-international | OTP sent to a buyer abroad from an eligible business | 2.4971 |
Source: Meta’s pricing page for the WhatsApp Business Platform, INR rate card effective 1 October 2026. Meta also offers volume tiers that lower rates for very high senders. Taxes are extra: Meta’s help centre says WhatsApp Business messaging billed by Facebook India attracts 18% GST.
What changed on 1 October 2026
Two things that were free are now charged:
- Service messages. Free-form replies you send while a customer’s 24-hour window is open used to cost nothing. They now cost Rs 0.115 each, but Meta gives a free tier of 1,000 service messages per business phone number per month.
- Utility templates inside the window. A site-visit confirmation template sent while the buyer’s window is open was free from July 2025. It is now charged at the utility rate.
Messages buyers send to you are still free. Marketing templates were always charged.
The free windows that still save money
- 24-hour customer service window. When a buyer messages you, a 24-hour window opens. You can reply with free-form messages. These now count as service messages, but your first 1,000 a month are free.
- Free entry point window. If a buyer messages you by tapping a Click-to-WhatsApp ad on Facebook or Instagram on their phone, and you reply within the 24-hour window, all your messages are free for up to 7 days. For real estate ads, this is the most valuable rule on the page.
What a month costs for a real estate business
Here is a worked example for a mid-size Punjab dealer or a small builder. The volumes are illustrative. Plug in your own.
| Activity | Messages a month | Rate (Rs) | Cost (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch or offer broadcast to past enquiries who opted in | 2,000 | 0.8631 | 1,726 |
| Site-visit confirmations and reminders outside the window | 500 | 0.115 | 58 |
| Replies to enquiries inside the window | 1,800 | first 1,000 free, then 0.115 | 92 |
| Conversations started from Click-to-WhatsApp ads | 300 | Free for up to 7 days | 0 |
| Total before GST | 1,876 | ||
| GST at 18% | 338 | ||
| Total to Meta | about 2,214 |
The message cost is small. The bigger cost is usually the software you use to send them.
What WhatsApp API providers charge on top
Small businesses rarely connect to Meta directly. They use a Business Solution Provider (BSP) such as AiSensy, Interakt, Gupshup, Wati or a CRM with WhatsApp built in. Providers typically charge:
- A monthly platform fee for the inbox, broadcast tool, chatbot and team logins. Published plans in India commonly start from a few hundred to a few thousand rupees a month.
- A markup on Meta’s message rates, which some providers show as a higher per-message price.
- Setup or verification help, sometimes free and sometimes charged.
When you compare providers, ask for the per-message price they will bill you for each category, and check it against Meta’s rate card above. The gap is their markup.
Want WhatsApp to bring leads, not just send broadcasts? We set up Click-to-WhatsApp ads for Punjab builders and dealers, where conversations started from an ad are free for up to 7 days. Message us on WhatsApp to see what it would cost for your project.
WhatsApp Business app vs WhatsApp Business API
| WhatsApp Business app | WhatsApp Business API | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Per message, plus provider fees |
| Users | One phone, with a few linked devices | Many agents on one number |
| Broadcasts | Only to contacts who saved your number | Template messages to anyone who opted in |
| Automation | Greeting and away messages, quick replies | Chatbots, CRM integration, auto-reminders |
| Best for | A dealer handling enquiries personally | A sales team or builder with steady lead flow |
If you are a one-person dealer, the free app is usually enough. If your leads come from portals, our guide to real estate cost per lead in India shows what each enquiry is already costing you, which puts a few paise per message in perspective. Move to the API when several people need to answer the same number, or when you want automatic reminders for site visits.
Rules that protect your number
The API is cheap, but a blocked number is expensive. Keep to these rules:
- Message only people who opted in. A buyer who enquired about your project and agreed to updates has opted in. A purchased list has not.
- Use the right template category. A launch offer is marketing even if you call it an update. Meta can recategorise templates.
- Do not over-broadcast. Several offers a week to the same list can bring blocks and reports, which can limit your sending.
- Reply fast. The free and cheap windows only help if someone answers. See speed to lead in real estate.
For what to actually send, our guide to WhatsApp marketing for real estate covers message types that buyers respond to.
FAQ: WhatsApp Business API price
What is the WhatsApp Business API price in India?
From 1 October 2026, Meta’s India rate card is Rs 0.8631 per marketing message and Rs 0.115 each for utility, authentication and service messages. GST at 18% is added, and providers may charge platform fees on top.
Are service messages on the WhatsApp API free?
Not any more. From 1 October 2026 Meta charges Rs 0.115 per service message in India, but the first 1,000 service messages per business phone number each month are free.
Are WhatsApp messages from Click-to-WhatsApp ads free?
If a buyer messages you from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad on a mobile device and you reply within 24 hours, Meta opens a free entry point window, and all your messages are free for up to 7 days.
Is GST charged on WhatsApp Business API in India?
Yes. Meta’s help centre says WhatsApp Business messaging billed by Facebook India is subject to 18% GST.
Do I need the WhatsApp API for real estate?
Not always. A single dealer can manage with the free WhatsApp Business app. The API makes sense for a sales team sharing one number, automated site-visit reminders, or regular opted-in broadcasts.
The short version
The WhatsApp Business API price in India is per message: Rs 0.8631 for marketing and Rs 0.115 for utility, authentication and service, plus 18% GST, from 1 October 2026. Service replies are now charged after 1,000 free a month per number. For most dealers, the message bill is small. Provider fees and good process matter more, and Click-to-WhatsApp ads remain a low-cost way to start conversations.
Rates are from Meta’s INR rate card effective 1 October 2026 and Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform pricing documentation, checked on 1 October 2026. leadproio is not affiliated with Meta or any WhatsApp provider.